Lahti Symphony Orchestra

Sibelius Festival Day 3

The position of Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) as Finland’s national composer is probably incontestable; his significance for the history of Finnish music is unparalleled. Sibelius is also Finland’s most famous composer internationally, whose music has won admirers in all parts of the globe. With its annual Sibelius Festival, the Lahti Symphony Orchestra aims to gather together Sibelius’s friends from all over the world and to offer them a truly memorable weekend in the company of Sibelius’s music.

Saraste: ‘In the programme you can see Sibelius’s views widening towards Europe’

‘In my opinion, in Sibelius’s output, the Second Symphony is already a clear departure from Finnish national provinciality and therefore an internationally oriented work’, says Jukka-Pekka Saraste about the festival programme of 2009, and continues: ‘The theme of the festival “Towards Europe” describes Sibelius’s views widening towards different parts of Europe.’ Saraste adds: ‘The energy and rapid pulse of the Third Symphony points in the direction of the English way of life, and in the Fourth Symphony you can clearly notice the influence of Schoenberg in the form of a Germanic formal conception and disappearing tonality. On the other hand, in the orchestration of Pohjola’s Daughter we approach a French-style timbre with cornets and harp.’ Saraste recognizes the overall influence of Wagner in the output of composers of this period. ‘When it comes to Sibelius, his situation is exceptionally fortuitous, as – unlike many of his colleagues – he didn’t remain in the influence of Wagner, but managed to find his own original voice.’

The programmes of the orchestral concerts

In the programme of the opening concert on Thursday 10th September 2009 are Sibelius’s Second Symphony, Scene with Cranes and Luonnotar with other orchestral songs sung by the prominent young Finnish soprano Helena Juntunen. The soloist in Sibelius’s Violin Concerto on Friday 11th September 2009 is the Norwegian violinist Henning Kraggerud, who plays regularly with many of the world’s leading orchestras. The concert also includes the tone poem The Dryad and the Third Symphony. The programme of the concert on Saturday 12th September 2009 consists of the Fourth Symphony, and the tone poems Pohjola’s Daughter, The Bard, The Oceanides and Night Ride and Sunrise.